


He Grew Lonely.

by dandelionweekes



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, hinata is sad bc even TSUKISHIMA has someone, its cute, kageyama gives him his sweatshirt, kageyama repressing feelings, lonely hinata, r e ad i t, soft, they hold hands, uhh yea thats it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:13:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26502709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dandelionweekes/pseuds/dandelionweekes
Summary: In which Hinata struggles with his loneliness and Kageyama tries (and fails) to repress his feelings for his friend.-I promise this doesn't suck that much LEUFBEUbfUFB
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 5
Kudos: 125





	He Grew Lonely.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This was just me trying to get back into the swing of writing. I have two actual fics I'm trying to work on right now, one Tsukiyama and one Asanoya, and then maybe one or two oneshots. UMMM. Yeah. that's all. Enjoy

The sky above Hinata was a deep navy blue that twinkled magnificently, dotted with little shining diamonds that sat thousands of lightyears away, burning so brightly that, if Hinata really focused, he could see them flicker. 

Practice had run late and the day had bled into night quickly while forearms and hands had grown red while stinging with the impact of a volleyball. Now, Hinata was sitting on the harsh concrete steps that were in front of the gym with his knees curled into his chest and his arms wrapped around them tightly. He let out a little breath, and in the cold weather, it came out as a little puff of a cloud. He watched as it dissolved, leaving as quickly as it came, and his chest curled and ached with something odd and almost painful.

Lately, he had been introspective, though not of his own volition, because that just wasn’t like him. See, that curious pain in his chest was something that he just _couldn’t_ figure out. He had texted Suga about it, and in response, he had simply told Hinata that maybe he should see a doctor. That hadn’t seemed right, though, so Hinata had brushed the solution off, thanking Suga anyways. 

He had asked Asahi and Noya about it, but Asahi had been too nervous about giving Hinata the wrong answer to give him an answer _at all_ , and Noya had only given him a chaotic response that had gone over Hinata’s head as soon as he blinked the message into his brain. 

At one point, Hinata even considered asking Tsukishima, the smartest guy he knew, but he quickly decided against it. He decided against asking Yachi, too, not wanting to burden her with his stupid issues. 

This left him alone, picking himself apart for answers that he was sure he didn’t hold. It left him feeling stupid at the fact that he couldn’t sort himself out, left him staring up at the sparkling diamonds in the sky after volleyball practice. 

All of the rest of the team had left. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had gone early for a reason that Hinata had forgotten, so he had sat on those steps and watched as all of the first and second years slipped out of the gym, grinning and joking with each other. Each of them had given Hinata an enthusiastic goodbye before departing, and that had warmed the feeling in Hinata’s chest slightly, but not enough to make it go away. 

He still felt cold on the inside, like something was missing. 

Behind him, Kageyama was fiddling with something in the gym, his curses and frustrations echoing off of the walls. Hinata tucked his chin between his knees and chest, frowning as his gaze fell to his shoes. He tapped them together twice, then let out another breath. He didn’t know what he was doing still sitting there, but making the bike ride home made him feel oddly exhausted, which was a feeling foreign to him. He wasn’t fond of it. 

“Oi, Hinata!” 

Hinata stiffened slightly at the abrupt noise. The serene silence that he had been bathed in crystalized around him and shattered, falling away, leaving him feeling vulnerable. Quickly, he wiped the shock from his features and turned around, looking up at Kageyama who towered over him, confusion flitting in his sapphire blue eyes. Vaguely, Hinata found that they reminded him of one of the stars in the sky. They flickered fiercely, ignited by ferocious flames. If you got too close, you’d surely get burnt, but Hinata kind of wanted to anyway. 

“Hinata?” Kageyama tried once more in the wake of Hinata’s silence. His dark brows pulled together and he stepped forward, crouching down so that he was eye level with Hinata. “Are you okay?” 

Hinata pulled back in a strange, jerky movement as his eyes widened in panic. He hadn’t meant to, but he and Kageyama’s proximity had hit him like a freight train. After a moment, the intensity of his movements melted away, and he looked a little confused at him. Pink heat dusted his cheeks and he glanced off to the side, painfully aware of Kageyama’s hard stare. Once more, he felt cold and empty on the inside. Once more, he hated the sensation. 

“I’m fine,” Hinata told him dishonestly, his eyes still locked onto the grey concrete. The open doors of the gym splashed an orange light onto it, which looked ugly and out of place in the dark of the night. 

“Why are you still here, then?” Kageyama pressed, looking concerned in a harsh way. 

Hinata looked at him tentatively, and his eyes fell to follow the sharp curve of his cheekbones, and the way the light of the crescent moon, intense and glittering, pooled in his cupid’s bow and highlighted the downward slope of his frowning lips. He was backlit by the light of the gym, and the contrast was terrible and frustrating. It left Hinata feeling even more dissatisfied than he had been previously. 

“Why are _you_ here?” Hinata retorted, the heated aggravation that he felt regarding himself---regarding _everything_ \---spilling over, out onto the surface, twisting up his features. He clenched his hands into little fists, watching as the expression on Kageyama’s face shifted from worry to irritation. 

Kageyama pushed himself up, rolling his eyes at Hinata. He let out an impatient breath and swallowed any words that might egg Hinata’s bad mood on. 

Now, in their third year of school, they had learned how to not fight as much as they had as first and second years. This was mostly for the sake of all the new first years, who would be wholly intimidated and put off by their squabbles, but also for the sake of themselves. The aftermath of their fights had never felt any good. The silence and unspoken words that seemed to stretch on for an eternity---Hinata never missed it. He was pretty sure that Kageyama didn’t either. 

“Whatever,” Kageyama dismissed, leaving Hinata feeling dumb and small. He curled in on himself a little more. “You better get home soon. It’s getting pretty dark.” He suggested, his gaze thrown out into the night. He watched as a bitter breeze rustled a few of the trees on campus, then stole another glance at Hinata, who had returned to staring down at the concrete. 

“Mm,” Hinata hummed shortly. He turned so that he was looking out once more, then he lifted his head to consider the stars. He felt his heart thump heavily in his chest as he grew more aware of himself. The way he breathed, the way his fingers were clenched so tightly into fists that it almost hurt. The way Kageyama was looking down at him. “What about you?” he asked after a beat of silence. 

“What about me?” Kageyama returned, his eyebrows raising on his forehead. 

Hinata didn’t know. 

-

The ceiling was pale and golden in the warm, Saturday morning light. Outside of his room, trees swayed gracefully in the wind, causing the light to dance, disappearing then reappearing every few seconds. 

Hinata clasped his hands over his stomach, feeling his pulse beat from just under his belly button. He was really hungry for breakfast after not eating dinner the previous night, but going downstairs seemed like a lot more work than he was willing to put in, and his futon was warm and welcoming. 

He sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and closed his eyes, his long eyelashes dusting his cheeks as his stomach squeezed, alerting him for the umpteenth time that he was hungry. Behind his eyelids, images from the night before played. He remembered the look that had been on Kageyama's face. It had seemed odd and out of place, this curious mix of worry and irritation. 

Hinata had wanted to wipe it away, had wanted to slam the gym door shut and make that awful orange light disappear. He had wanted to see Kageyama soft, bathing in the ethereal light of the moon and talk to him in a quiet, hushed tone, voicing all of the questions that knocked and rattled around his brain. 

Vaguely, he thought that Kageyama might hold the answers he needed, though not in the same way that Tsukishima did. He couldn't place why he had this feeling, though, just like he couldn't place why he felt cold and dead on the inside more often than not. 

-

The link of their hands, gentle and oddly affectionate, is what set off the pain in Hinata's chest that morning. He looked at Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, his face falling into something unhappy and almost pained. 

Hinata wondered what it felt like to hold someone else's hand. How it felt to press another palm against your own and feel their pulse thumping rhythmically from their fingertips. He wondered if that's what people who were in love did, then hopped from that to wondering if he could ever be in love. If someone would even dare to feel that way about him. 

He wasn't sure if anyone ever would, though, because at seventeen he was still alone. Even _Tsukishima_ , who was easily the worst guy that Hinata knew, had found someone to love him unconditionally. To hold his hand and pocket his thoughts and store away memories of stupid little quirks and inane things. 

The deep ache that resonated within Hinata, as though someone has struck his heart with a mallet like a gong, caused him to wince, feeling sore all over even though practice had yet to begin. 

It was only then that Hinata recognized that stupid ache, that painful feeling that squeezed at his veins and make his knees go slightly weak as loneliness. It was heavy and tangible and it made Hinata feel stupid and inept because, as far as he knew, there was nothing that he could do to quell the feeling. 

From behind him, Kageyama jabbed him between the shoulder blades, prodding at a muscle that had grown sore after the exertion from last practice. "Hey, dummy," he began, his voice firm. He pressed his finger against Hinata once more, this time harder, and in response, Hinata turned to look up at him. 

"What?" Hinata asked, feeling impatient. He glanced back over to where Tsukishima was smirking at something that Yamaguchi had said. The smaller of the two swung their hands, laughing gleefully, his face bright and happy as some of the freckles on his face got lost in the folds of his smile.

"What's with that face?"

Hinata ripped his gaze from the other two third years and returned it to Kageyama, throwing him an irritated look. He frowned, his eyebrows knitting together. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?" he asked. 

Kageyama's clean black hair reflected the bright lights of the gym in a beam of highlight, and it looked soft and enticing lying against his forehead. Hinata sort of wanted to run his fingers through it, or maybe give it a few short tugs since all Kageyama seemed to do lately was piss him off for no reason. 

He watched closely as Kageyama's expression softened, the hard blue of his eyes melting from sharp ice into a vast, flowing ocean, ebbing and flowing gently, methodically, drowning out some of the heat in Hinata. 

Kageyama crossed his arms over his chest, lowering his head slightly. "You look upset," he clarified lowly for fear that Tsukishima might hear him and, subsequently, mock him for giving a shit about someone other than himself, which was, quite frankly, unfair in every sense of the word. (He felt like he couldn't even breathe without the guy trying to get under his skin.) "I just wanted to know if you're okay." Kageyama finished, looked down at his shoes. He dug his nails into the flesh on his arm, his stomach curling unpleasantly. What could he say? He didn't like it when Hinata wasn't himself. It threw him off. 

Hinata looked thoughtful for a moment before he looked back over at Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. Then, looking at the shine of Kageyama's hair, at the strong curve of his jawline and the dips of his collarbones that were revealed only by the fall of his shirt, he frowned. It felt like the world was chewing him up and spitting him out for reasons that he couldn't understand. Like he had been too happy for too long and some deity thought it might be a little fun to try and crush his spirits. Worst of all, though, was the fact that it was working. 

"Have you ever held hands with someone?" Hinata questioned, looking up earnestly. 

A blush spread across Kageyama's cheeks quickly and his eyes widened. "Um," he choked out in confusion, "what?"

Hinata looked at his hands, wringing them. They were rough from all of the hours that he had thrown into practice, and he wondered if that simple fact would make him more undesirable than he already assumed himself to be. 

"Have you?" he urged, searching Kageyama's face for some sort of answer, though not just to the question that he had just asked. He found himself searching for the answer to the feeling in his chest, and to why his hands were always vacant of someone else's. And then there was that stupid inkling again. It told him that there was something in Kageyama that Hinata needed, and that if he could just get a hold of it and caress it in his rough hands, his problems would dissolve and he would find himself to be happy once more. 

Hinata didn't know if he believed this feeling, but he found himself searching anyway. Found himself wanting to pull Kageyama apart and then piece him back together again. 

"Look, Hinata," Kageyama took a step backwards, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. He was flushed and looked uncomfortable due to a plethora of reasons. The intense look on Hinata's face alone was enough to make anyone reel backwards a bit. "If you're sad because you don't have a girlfriend, then just go find one. There are a lot of girls that are interested in you." 

"There are?" Hinata asked, but the thought didn't make him feel any better, and it didn't sit right with him in general, so he just shook his head, feeling unresolved. "Nevermind." He said flatly, his expression worsening. "I just want someone to hold my hand."

Panic rose in Kageyama briefly at the look on Hinata's face. He resembled a puppy that had been kicked, or a child that had been disciplined too harshly, and Kageyama loathed it but felt powerless. He wondered what Sugawara or Daichi would do in a situation like this, but the thought was useless because they had graduated long ago, and there was no way in hell Kageyama could even _begin_ to think like them. 

"You want someone to hold your hand?" he questioned, quirking an eyebrow. A few first years bounded into the gym, glowing with excitement, and Kageyama found himself wanting to shield them from the unnerving look in Hinata's eyes. 

Hinata nodded slowly, looking down at his empty hand longingly. 

"If I…" Kageyama began, and he couldn't believe that he was about to say this. He couldn't believe that he was about to relent to Hinata in such a way, though really his disbelief was uncalled for. Of course he'd do anything to make Hinata feel better. How could he not? Even if he was often bad at expressing it, he still cared deeply for the fiery redhead. "If I hold your hand, will you stop pouting?" he finished, watching as Hinata's head shot up and his eyes widened, sparkling slightly as his lips parted. 

"Sure!" he said, enthused, and shot his hand out to grab Kageyama's, who ducked his head, trying to hide the deepening blush on his face as he grumbled that Hinata was doing it wrong. 

The taller adjusted their hands, intertwining their fingers together. Quietly, Kageyama marveled at how small Hinata's hand was compared to his, and in general, really. It was no secret that he was a small person, but now, the fact was washing over him like a powerful wave, knocking him off of his feet and flooding his senses. 

He sort of wanted to tuck Hinata away somewhere so that he could savour the precious look that was shining in his eyes a little longer. He wanted to bury his fingers in the wild halo of Hinata's hair or feel the pulse pumping through his neck against his long fingers. He wanted Hinata in a way that he recognized; in a way that scared him. 

Hinata, however, just wanted to know why the pain that he felt was only intensified by the fact that Kageyama's hand was pressed against his own. Despite this, he refused to let go. 

-

"Yachi?" Hinata asked, copying down the colourful notes that Yachi had carefully written down on the delicate, fancy pages of her notebook. He scanned some kanji, his fingers drawing the precise lines of it messily, and then flicked his eyes up to look at Yachi. 

She returned Hinata's gaze, her mouth full of her lunch. Quickly, she chewed and swallowed, the look on Hinata's face causing worry to flit through her. "Yeah?"

"Why don't you...um…" Hinata let his eyes fall back down to the notes that he was taking. He drew a swirl on the paper hard enough that an indent was left in the pencil's wake. "Have a boyfriend," he mumbled the rest out, tossing a quick glance Yachi's way so that he could gauge her reaction before he looked back down. 

Hinata wasn't one to talk about romance---in fact, he hadn't even realized that he had an interest in it until he had begun to lose himself in loneliness. Because of this fact, he didn't exactly know how to approach the conversation that he was trying to open up, but Yachi didn't seem to mind the heavy awkwardness that tugged at Hinata's words and weighed them down. 

"A boyfriend?" she considered, brushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. The little cubic zirconia stud that she had in her ear glittered under the intense light of the classroom and she looked off to the side, staring at a clump of dust on the floor. 

"Yeah, don't you want one?" Hinata shifted in his seat. He let his hands fall into his lap and he pressed the sharp led of his pencil against the center of his palm, feeling almost grounded by the slight pain of it. _Aren't you lonely?_ he thought, knowing that, for _sure_ , he was. 

He felt his loneliness with such a dark intenseness that sometimes he thought his organs might twist up inside of him, or his heart might begin to die and rot away. 

"Well, why?" Yachi questioned, raising her eyebrows carefully. She gave Hinata a measured look, trying to quietly tear into him and figure out why he was asking such an out of character question. 

_Why?_ Hinata thought, and a million answers to that question rattled around his brain, shooting around like bullets, cracking the sides of his skull with the force of it all. After a moment, he let out a breath and shook his head, trying to wipe the unsatisfied look from his face. "Nevermind. It doesn't matter."

"Hinata," Yachi paused, taking a moment to choose her words with deliberation. "Are you okay? You haven't been acting like yourself lately.”

Hinata curled in on himself, grimacing slightly. He had known that he certainly hadn't been hiding his odd behavior too well, but he hadn't known that he'd been _that_ obvious about it all. 

He sucked in a shaky breath, pulling his eyebrows together. "I'm fine just. Lonely."

"Lonely?" Yachi frowned. She laced her fingers together, not liking the lack of bubbliness in Hinata's demeanor. The abrupt change of pace that he was presenting was unnerving. Though he could be a lot at times, Yachi found herself thinking that she would gladly take Hinata being too much over being too little. Because _this_ just felt wrong. 

"Yeah, like, why don't I have someone yet? Shouldn't I?" Hinata pressed, his intense eyes boring into Yachi's. He dropped his pencil into his lap and gripped the edge of the desk tightly, "Is there something wrong with me?" he urged. 

"Wrong with you?" Yachi leaned back slightly, her mouth falling open as her mind spun, trying to catch up with the urgency of Hinata's words. "I---Hinata," she stammered, confusion coating her features in an obvious fashion. For a long moment, she felt out of the loop. After all, Hinata had always seemed far too confident himself, and that's how things had been ever since Yachi had known him. But now? What was _this?_

"Is there?" Hinata's amber eyes shone wildly, and he looked as though he was ready to ball up and throw out every trait about himself that might be undesirable in any way. Ready to tear himself up and pick himself apart, this time not to understand himself, but rather, to fix himself. To make himself lovable, because currently, he seemed to be the antithesis of that. 

"Hinata, _no!_ " Yachi exclaimed, her confusion melting away and giving way to shock. "There's nothing wrong with you!"

"Really? Then why does no one want me?" 

Yachi sat in her seat, silent, wholly caught off guard. She fixed Hinata with a desperate look that told him that she couldn't answer this question, despite the fact that she really wanted to. She wanted to wipe the anxiety from his eyes and brush the stray strands of flaming hair from his forehead. She wanted to fix him, make him proper, and send him off into the world beaming and laughing like he used to. She wanted to reinvigorate the youth inside of him, but she didn't know how, and Hinata looked drained. 

-

Hinata gripped at the cool metal of his locker for a moment, peering into the dark thing as he felt his muscles ache and yell in protest to every movement that he made. He had pushed himself particularly hard today, trying to bleed his severe emotions out through volleyball, and in truth, he felt a little better, but it hadn't been worth it. New bruises were darkening against his pale skin, creating a sick contrast that Hinata found himself to be adverse to (he didn't know how Nishinoya put up with being so battered all of the time.)

He stared down at those marks, letting his mind draw a blank and fall into vast emptiness, but he was quickly pulled out of himself as a harsh voice shattered the calm around him.

"Hinata!" 

Hinata blinked up, his eyes wide and watery with emotion. Before him stood Kageyama. His face was pinched together tightly in displeasure and his arms were crossed against his chest, his hands balled into fists. Quickly, Hinata looked away, feeling as though he had been burned. He dropped his arms to his sides. 

"You can't just _say_ that sort of stuff to Yachi, you know!" Kageyama growled, his eyes narrowing sharply. " _Oi_ ," he grimaced, reaching out for Hinata's shirt. He took some of the loose fabric that fell around Hinata's neck in his hand and pulled him forward, watching as the smaller boy stumbled slightly, regaining his balance but still not lifting his gaze. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Kageyama commanded, and there was this awful sinking feeling in his stomach. Then, as soon as Hinata raised his eyes to meet Kageyama's, Kageyama was falling, tumbling, his head reeling for an infinite amount of time as he slipped further and further into the emotion that Hinata was projecting out. It made him feel _sick._ He looked so _sad._

Suddenly, Kageyama was brought back to before practice when Yachi had rushed into the gym, her face bright with its usual anxiety and worry. With her blonde eyebrows pushed up to the space on her forehead, she had explained the conversation that she and Hinata had had during lunch. She had recounted how he had looked, distraught and uncomfortable, shifting in his seat, shrinking down as if he had wanted to become _smaller_. 

At this recollection of events, Kageyama had paled slightly, his lips parting in shock. He had watched quietly as Yachi begged him to fix Hinata, telling him that she simply couldn't _stand_ to see him look like that again. Kageyama had agreed, his heart thumping loudly in his chest, and that's what he was trying to do now. Fix Hinata. But at the look that was swelling within his eyes, Kageyama found himself wondering if that was even possible. 

The expression on Kageyama's face was hard and piercing, but his eyes betrayed it as they stared down at Hinata, softening quickly in his presence. 

He loosened his grip on Hinata's shirt, looking down at the pale slope of his neck and the sharp jut of his collarbones. _He thinks something's wrong with him_ , Kageyama thought, and he found that the thought pained him. After a moment, he released the smaller boy, looking away quickly. 

Kageyama swallowed, his spit feeling thick in his mouth. He splayed out his hand, studying it in the low light that bled into the room. It was red and stinging from practice, but he had never minded the feeling. Slowly, he extended it to Hinata and watched as the redhead stared down at it blankly. “Well come on, then,” Kageyama urged, pressing his hand further forward. The edges of Hinata’s hair had been lit ablaze by the outstretching rays of the sun. They looked heated as the sun flickered, making them seem as though they were flames, tiny and dying in the ending of the day’s light. For some reason, at this observation, his heart squeezed in his chest. 

Carefully, Hinata placed his hand in Kageyama’s, watching as Kageyama’s fingers folded around his, engulfing his tiny appendage in a firm warmth. For a moment, a smile tugged at the edges of Hinata’s lips. It was quick, flitting, and barely there, but Kageyama saw it all the same, and something cold inside of him melted, if only a little. 

“Your hand’s so warm,” Hinata observed, tilting his head up at Kageyama. 

“Yeah, whatever,” Kageyama grumbled, turning away quickly as a blush rose to his cheeks. He hoped to god that the dark of the room was hiding his flush, hoped that Hinata wouldn’t notice and ask stupid questions like he usually did. “Just get your stuff so that we can go.” In his other hand dangled two silver keys on a ring. They glinted, tossing a sparkling ray of light back at the sun. “I need to lock up.” Kageyama finished, watching as Hinata grabbed his back and looped his shoulder through it. 

“Okay, I’m ready.” 

Kageyama let out a shaky breath, leading Hinata out of the room so that he could lock it up. Once he had done so, he pocketed the keys and listened to them jingle as they made their way out of the building. 

As the two set foot outside, a shiver ripped through Hinata and he frowned, some of the happiness that had swelled within him from holding Kageyama’s hand draining away. He lowered his head, his wild hair bobbing with the action, and in that moment Kageyama thought that he looked perfectly suited to autumn weather.

After all, his hair was certainly a shade that Kageyama had seen on the turning leaves before, and the pale expanse of his skin seemed to compliment the overcast days that this new season had to offer. And then, in the sun, which was being drowned out by these big, fluffy grey clouds as it fought to hang in the sky just a little longer, Kageyama thought him to be ethereal in a soft sort of way. 

_He thinks something’s_ wrong _with him_ , Kageyama repeated, blinking in disbelief. 

“Kageyama, I’m _cold_.” Hinata complained, shaking once more. 

“Well, that’s what you get for wearing a t-shirt and shorts,” Kageyama scolded, though he was clad in the exact same thing. 

Hinata made an aggravated noise and ripped his hand from Kageyama’s so that he could wrap his arms around his himself. As soon as his hands touched the skin on his arms, though, he realized that the only thing keeping him warm was Kageyama. At this revelation, Hinata let out another noise. He just couldn’t catch a _break._

“Idiot! What’re you doing?” Kageyama barked, his eyebrows pulling together. He didn’t like the abrupt emptiness that Hinata had left sitting in his hand. Didn’t like how their forearms were no longer bumping as they walked, or how he wasn’t close enough to see where Hinata’s smooth skin was dotted with sporadic little freckles that anyone else wouldn’t know he had. 

He didn’t like how he couldn’t peer down at Hinata and search for more inane secrets that he could fill a box with in the back of his mind. 

“I’m _cold_ ,” Hinata repeated, his teeth chattering as his shivering grew constant. A grey, bitter breeze whipped at his hair and cheeks, kissing them red sharply. 

“Fine,” Kageyama grumbled. He slipped his bag off of his shoulder and let it fall to the ground before he crouched down, his tongue poking out from between his lips as he opened it and began to rummage around within the fabric walls. After a moment, his fingers grazed something soft and grey and he grasped for it, pulling it out successfully. He closed his bag quickly and hiked it back up onto his shoulder, then shoved the item out towards Hinata, who regarded him with a confused look. “For you,” Kageyama explained briefly. 

Gingerly, Hinata took the thing between two hands and let the excess fabric fall as he held it out so that he could get a good look. And, _oh_ , it was Kageyama’s sweatshirt. Quickly, he snatched it forward, as if he was afraid that Kageyama might change his mind and take it back. After a moment of looking down on the article of clothing, he shimmied into it, feeling its warmth and security hug him gently. 

It was, by far, too big on Hinata. On Kageyama, it fit him nicely, hugging his waist and torso, meeting the edges of his wrists. On Hinata, however, it hit him in the middle of his thighs, and the fabric pooled around him, drowning him in the softness of it all. The sleeves fell over his hands, and for a moment Hinata seemed amused by this fact before he remembered that he wanted to continue to hold Kageyama’s hand in his own. 

He pulled a sleeve back and jutted his hand out for Kageyama, who, in response, coughed and turned away for a moment as the edges of his ears and the back of his neck were painted red. Seeing Hinata in his sweatshirt awaiting him with an open hand was doing strange things to him. His heart was thumping uncontrollably in his chest and he felt as though he had been lit on fire. 

Clearing his throat, Kageyama tried to shove the feelings that were rising within him away, but he felt the heat and intensity of them scald his skin, making him reel backwards. He promised himself that he'd never feel this way again, and yet, here he was, placing Hinata's hand in his own, suffocating in the emotions that filled him to an exhausting degree. 

As the two began walking again, Kageyama feigned interest in the scene around him, letting his gaze fall upon anything that _wasn't_ Hinata. He swallowed back the lump in his throat and blinked around, pretending to not notice when Hinata shuffled closer to him. 

"Kageyama?" Hinata asked softly, looking up at his friend. His eyes traced over his severe features and his lips parted as he waited for a reply. 

"What?" Kageyama tried to make his voice sound as hard and off putting as possible, but his tone had never really seemed to deter Hinata from asking stupid questions or saying ridiculous things, anyway, so he didn't even know why he was trying. 

"Why do you think Yamaguchi likes Tsukishima?" 

It had been bugging Hinata since he had seen the two in the gym, whispering to each other and laughing like the world had melted away around them. The small boy had been racking his brain for reasons ever since then, but he failed to see any redeeming qualities that Tsukishima had. Maybe they were just buried deep, deep down, he reasoned with himself. But then, he couldn't see why anyone would want to do all that digging, or if it was even worth it in the end. 

"W-what!?" Kageyama sputtered, jerking slightly. He stared down at Hinata who was looking up at him earnest, tucked away in his sweatshirt, holding his hand, asking him for answers that Kageyama didn't know if he held. "How would I know!?" 

At this, Hinata deflated slightly, and he shrunk down on himself, his eyes wide and watery. He pulled his hand from Kageyama's, curling up within the sweatshirt silently. 

Kageyama frowned, anger rising within him at the fact that he had snapped. Over the years, he had gotten so much better about that. He had learned how to control himself, breathing when he felt the aggravation overtaking him, and expressing himself in a hushed tone rather than a loud, overbearing one. But sometimes Hinata just set him off, and he always hated the aftermath of it. 

-

The two hadn't talked for the rest of the walk until Hinata found himself standing on the doorstep of Kageyama's house, avoiding the taller's intense gaze. Both were quiet for a moment before he began to grip at the bottom of Kageyama's sweatshirt and try to pull it over his head. Then, finally, Kageyama's voice came, breaking through the cool atmosphere with its sharpness. 

"What are you doing?" he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. 

Hinata paused his actions, looking at Kageyama's through his eyelashes, his lips parting. The sweatshirt was halfway off of his torso, and the day was beginning to grow colder as the sun disappeared and the moon rose high to shine above the world elegantly. "I'm giving you your sweatshirt back," Hinata replied as though it was obvious, because, well, it sort of was. 

Kageyama tugged it back down on Hinata's torso, "Keep it."

Hinata flushed, his eyes shining as something warm and soft settled within him. "K-Kageyama," he stammered, his brain falling flat, not providing him with any more words to say. 

"I don't want you to be cold," Kageyama continued, shoving his hands into the pockets of his gym shorts. He looked a bit shy, which was an expression that Hinata had never seen grace his features before. It wasn't like he minded, though. He liked it when Kageyama grew a little softer, his razor sharp edges smoothing out into something that Hinata felt he could hold without bloodshed. "And Hinata?" 

"Um," Hinata said lamely, unsure of how to react to this new, gentler side of Kageyama. "Yeah?" 

"There's nothing wrong with you," Kageyama looked down at his shoes which were scuffed up and dirty. He felt Hinata's gaze burning into him intensely, and he shifted under it, trying to keep his breathing straight. Finally, he lifted his head, looking straight into Hinata's eyes. "So shut up about it, okay?" 

Hinata couldn't find it within himself to respond. 

_"Okay?"_ Kageyama repeated, leaning forward over Hinata. 

Hinata inhaled quickly and sharply, ducking his head as he rushed forward, throwing his arms haphazardly around Kageyama's shoulders. Kageyama flooded his senses quickly. Somehow, even after a rigorous practice, he still smelled clean, like lavender soap, and the hair around the nape of his neck that brushed Hinata’s fingers was soft. 

"Tobio…" Hinata breathed, nuzzling into Kageyama's neck. 

Kageyama's stomach exploded with butterflies as he felt the warmth of Hinata's breath against his skin. Hesitantly, he hugged him back, his heart hammering against his chest, his blood pumping loudly in his ears. 

After a second, Hinata pulled away, his cheeks bright red and his hair mussed. He looked at Kageyama for a beat too long before he turned around, adjusting his bag so that it was more comfortable for the rest of the walk home. 

And then there Kageyama was, left standing on the step in front of his house feeling like he kind of wanted to throw up, but also kind of like he wanted to pull Hinata backwards and press a kiss to his lips. And this feeling, well, it certainly wasn't new, but it was terrifying, nonetheless. 

-

_the king ಠ_ಠ: can i ask you a question?_

_Read 6:44 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨ is typing…_

_Sugawara✨: Sure! What is it?? ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ_

_Read 6:45 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: how did you and daichi know?_

_Read 6:47 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: Know what? :0_

_Read 6:47 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: that you guys liked each other_

_Read 6:48 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: OHHHHH!! I see……..(◕‿◕✿)_

_Read 6:49 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: You like someone :^)))_

_Read 6:50 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: :/_

_Read 6:50 pm_

_the king ಠ_ಠ: i dont know_

_Read 6:51 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: How do you not k n o w_

_Read 6:53 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: i dont know. thats why im asking you_

_Read 6:54 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: Well IDK! We just //knew// we had a thing for each other_

_Read 6:55 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: Like, whenever I was around Dai I got this weird feeling in my stomach and chest_

_Read 6:56 pm_

_Sugawara✨: And when I wasn’t around him, I wanted to be_

_Read 6:56 pm_

_Sugawara✨: (▰˘◡˘▰)_

_Read 6:57 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: ok_

_Read 6:59 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: What’s that supposed to mean ⚆ _ ⚆_

_Read 6:59 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: i dont know_

_Read 7:01 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: Look, just think about how they make you feel. Do you get butterflies around them?_

_Read 7:02 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: they make me feel confused_

_Read 7:02 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: i guess i do though_

_Read 7:04 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: Do you want to hold their hand??_

_Read 7:05 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: um i guess_

_Read 7:05 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: Do you want to kiss them? (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ_

_Read 7:08 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: um_

_Read 7:10 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: im not sure. maybe._

_Read 7:11 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨_ _: You’re so cute Kageyama (ᵔᴥᵔ)_

_Read 7:13 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: whats that supposed to mean_

_Read 7:14 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: It means that you probably //do// like them, but you’re just too in your head about it 💖💖💖_

_Read 7:16 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: You’re like Asahi before he and Noya got together_

_Read 7:16 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: he and noya got together_

_Read 7:17 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: ?_

_Read 7:17 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: Yeah, after dancing around each other for years...ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ_

_Read 7:19 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: Anyway, just don’t think about it all too much and you’ll be fine. That’s what me and Daichi did_

_Read 7:19 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: ok_

_Read 7:20 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: thanks i guess_

_Read 7:20 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: Now it’s my turn to ask a question!!!!!!!!_

_Read 7:22 pm_

_the king_ _ಠ_ಠ: ok_

_Read 7:23 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: Is it Hinata???? (｡◕‿◕｡)_

_Read 7:23 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: Hey don’t just leave me on read!!! >:( _

_Read 7:25 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨:Kageyama!!!!!! ಠ╭╮ಠ_

_Read 7:26 pm_

_Sugawara_ _✨: Whatever. I’m taking that as a yes :)._

_Read 7:27 pm_

_-_

Kageyama looked down at Hinata as they walked through the hallways together silently, pressing through crowds of students so that they could get to their next class. His shoulder brushed against a girl and she turned her head to smile up sweetly at him, batting the eyelashes that framed her dark eyes. 

“Oh, sorry,” she murmured, looking coy. “I didn’t mean to---”  
  
“Okay,” Kageyama cut her off bluntly, looking unamused.

Hinata peeked over, glaring at Kageyama for a moment before he looked over at the girl who was roughly his height. “Don’t be so mean, Kageyama,” he scolded, then addressed the girl. Her dark hair was falling over her shoulders and she reached up to weave a strand between her fingers nervously. “He’s very sorry,” Hinata said apologetically, rolling his eyes as Kageyama shrugged his shoulders and continued to walk forward. After a moment, he caught up with him, looking displeased by his behavior. “You didn’t have to be so rude.”

  
“I wasn’t being rude,” Kageyama replied smoothly, seeming completely unruffled by the whole situation. 

“Didn’t you see what she was trying to do?” Hinata’s eyebrows pulled together and he looked a little pained as a frown twisted its way onto his lips. 

Kageyama looked over at him for a second before he ripped his eyes away, his heart thrumming in his chest. Sugawara’s question clouded his mind and, _god_ , was he that obvious? Did anyone else know about his feelings for Hinata that he was trying to stuff down and bury in a grave. He was so ready to let them die and wither away, six feet under, suffocating in cold soil, but it wasn’t like he could just toss them out or will them away. He had _tried._

“I saw.” Kageyama said flatly, trying to keep himself as even as possible. Trying to not let things get to him. Trying to not let _Hinata_ get to him. 

“If someone looked at me that way, I’d…” Hinata trailed off, wringing his hands. He looked down at his fingers, looking sad for a moment before Kageyama knocked him harshly on the shoulder. 

“Didn’t I tell you to stop with that bullshit?” 

Hinata’s expression soured and he pouted, sending Kageyama a pointed look. “That’s easy for you to say! You have girls tripping over themselves to just _talk_ to you!” 

In response, Kageyama rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed noise. He didn’t want any of the girls that came stumbling over to him, hoping to start a conversation only to realize that he wasn’t the most _friendly_ guy. He didn’t want to hold their hand while he walked them home from school, or kiss them on their gloss coated lips. All of that sounded so _tedious_. 

“Whatever, dumbass,” Kageyama growled, then reached out quickly, snatching Hinata’s hand with his own. And he didn’t watch as Hinata’s expression lightened. No, he didn’t let himself marvel as, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw that Hinata’s cheeks were tinted a lovely shade of pink. He didn’t let his breath catch on the soft edges of _that_ smile, and he didn’t think about Sugawara’s question, because the answer was obvious. 

Of course it was Hinata, but what could he do about it? 

-

Hinata shimmied down further in Kageyama’s sweatshirt, feeling a bitter breeze nip at his face as he pressed his hands into the pocket, the soft fabric brushing against his fingers.

All of the third years had agreed to come over to Hinata’s house to spend the night and blow off some steam, and that included Tsukishima, surprisingly, who had only agreed due to Yamaguchi’s begging.

Currently, Hinata, Yachi, and Yamaguchi were walking to the supermarket, their pockets stuffed with bills of money to aid them in their venture of raiding the store for snacks. Yachi and Yamaguchi were talking animatedly about a project they were working on in their Japanese class while Hinata vibrated excitedly. 

Having all of his friends over (and Tsukishima) was just what he needed to pull him out of this aggravating slump. He was already mentally picking out all of the movies that they would watch while they gorged on snacks, or the card games they would play, or---

"Isn't that Kageyama's sweatshirt?" Yamaguchi's voice cut through his thoughts cleanly, causing Hinata to look up at him with wide eyes. 

"What? Oh." Hinata looked down at where his hands were buried in the fabric, warm and protected from the elements by Kageyama's kindness. "Yeah, um, it is…" he blushed, trying to swallow his embarrassment, though he found it hard to. 

"Oh," Yamaguchi smiled, and next from next to him, Yachi mirrored the expression, her eyes twinkling. "That's cute, Hinata. I didn't know you guys were going out."

"G-going out?" Hinata stuttered, his mouth falling open. Another breeze blew through the earth, and the trees shivered with it. It whipped at Hinata's hair, and the force of it along with Yamaguchi's comment was almost enough to knock Hinata off of his feet. 

"We're not going out!" Hinata squeaked out in clarification, his hands balling into nervous little fists. Under Yamaguchi's soft gaze, his blush darkened. 

"Oh! Sorry, Hinata!" Yamaguchi apologized sheepishly, smiling crookedly. He brushed a few strands of hair from his face, "I just assumed since…" he nodded towards Kageyama's sweatshirt. 

"Oh," Hinata swallowed, and for some reason Yachi's gaze was weighing heavily on him. He worried the corner of the bill that was in the sweatshirt pocket, then he scrunched it up in his hand. "He just lent it to me because I was cold," he looked down at his shoes, scraping them against the concrete of the path that they were walking on briefly. 

"That was kind of him," Yachi commented, a small grin tugging at her lips. The expression on her face was something that Hinata couldn't read, but the eagerness of it sort of made him want to shrink in on himself and disappear. 

"Oh, I guess," Hinata's face twisted up and he buried his chin in the fabric of the too big sweatshirt, inhaling deeply. It smelled of the detergent that Kageyama used, and he hated how that fact made him feel a little lightheaded. 

"I've seen you two holding hands a lot lately," Yachi said, causing a look of surprise to overtake Yamaguchi's features. His eyebrows rose and, suddenly, he was regarding both Hinata and Yachi with newfound interest in the conversation that was beginning to unfold. 

"Y-you noticed?" 

The look on Yachi's face softened as she saw anxiety bleed into Hinata's eyes. "Most people have," then, she threw a look Yamaguchi's way and laughed lightly, her shoulders bouncing with the movement. "Well, save for Yamaguchi."

" _Do_ you want to date Kageyama?" Yamaguchi leaned down slightly as he walked, excitement taking over his demeanor. It was no secret to anyone that the freckled boy was a hopeless romantic. More so than anyone else in the whole of Karasuno High, really. Hinata quietly damned Yachi for bringing this all up. 

"Um," Hinata replied, feeling as though his throat was closing up as both Yachi and Yamaguchi stared at him expectantly. He turned away, pulling his hands from the pocket of the sweatshirt so that he could examine them in faux interest. "I don't know. I mean, I guess it'd be nice."

He thought back to how he had hugged Kageyama only a few nights prior. He thought about how his given name had felt rolling off of his tongue as though it was meant to be there in the first place. If they were dating, could he do that more often? Could he hold hands with him without people pressing him about why? Could he steal more of his clothes so that he could snuggle inside of them and revel in how safe he felt? 

"Why don't you go for it then!" Yamaguchi encouraged, his expression bright and hopeful. "I mean, it's kind of obvious that he feels the same---have you seen how he _looks_ at you!?" he continued, enthused. 

"How he... _looks at me_?"

"Yeah, like…” Yamaguchi trailed off, tapping his chin thoughtfully for a moment. "Like you're the most important person to him. Or like how Tsukki looks at me." Then, quickly, he turned to Yachi, his brow furrowed. "Tsukki does look at me like that, right?" 

Yachi nodded firmly and in response Yamaguchi beamed. 

"He looks at me like that?" Hinata questioned, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of him.

"He's been doing it since you two were first years," Yachi confirmed, her face gentle. 

Staring at her, looking into her sure eyes, all Hinata could think of was the fact that she had gotten so much more confident and sure of herself in the few years that he had known her. And Hinata, well, what had happened to _him_? Since when was Yachi the self assured one?

Oh yeah, since that dark ache had manifested in his chest and he had quickly found himself lost to it. 

-

_Yachi🍯 is typing…_

_Yachi🍯: you gave Hinata your sweatshirt?????_

_Read 3:32 pm_

_Kageyama!: yea and_

_Read 3:34 pm_

_Kageyama!: ?_

_Read 3:34 pm_

_Yachi🍯: you’ve been holding his hand too ☀️☀️_

_Read 3:36 pm_

_Kageyama!: yes_

_Read 3:38 pm_

_Yachi🍯: so you fixed him????_

_Read 3:40 pm_

_Kageyama!: what_

_Read 3:41 pm_

_Yachi🍯: he seems like Hinata again. You fixed him. With yourself._

_Read 3:53 pm_

_Kageyama!: oh i guess_

_Read 3:53 pm_

_Kageyama!: he seemed sad what was i supposed to do_

_Read 3:53 pm_

_Yachi🍯: i’m not saying you did anything wrong! It just seems like you’re a little more fond of him lately :)_

_Read 3:55 pm_

_Yachi🍯: there’s nothing wrong with that!_

_Read 3:55 pm_

_Kageyama!: okay_

_Read 3:57 pm_

_Kageyama!: yachi can i tell you something_

_Read 3:58 pm_

_Yachi🍯: always!_

_Read 3:59 pm_

_Kageyama!: i think i want to date him or something_

_Read 4:07 pm_

_Yachi🍯: haha! That’s kind of obvious Kageyama! :)_

_Read 4:07 pm_

_Kageyama!: then why hasnt hinata noticed_

_Read 4:09 pm_

_Yachi🍯: he’s been too down on himself to. Remember what I told you he said?_

_Read 4:10 pm_

_Kageyama!: yeah i do_

_Read 4:10 pm_

_Yachi🍯: i think you’ve made him feel a lot better, though! :)_

_Read 4:12 pm_

_Kageyama!: really_

_Read 4:12 pm_

_Kageyama!: ?_

_Read 4:12 pm_

_Yachi🍯: yeah! Maybe you should ask him out! 💞_

_Read 4:15 pm_

_Kageyama!: would he even agree_

_Read 4:17 pm_

_Yachi🍯: considering the fact that he’s currently bundled up in your sweatshirt and he’s been willingly holding your hand a lot lately, I’d say you have a fair chance :)_

_Read 4:20 pm_

_Kageyama!: hes wearing my sweatshirt_

_Read 4:22 pm_

_Kageyama!: ?_

_Read 4:22 pm_

_Yachi🍯: yeah! He loves it! 🐶 It’s really cute!_

_Read 4:24 pm_

_Kageyama!: ok maybe_

_Read 4:25 pm_

_Yachi🍯: you’ll do it?????_

_Read 4:26 pm_

_Kageyama!: maybe_

_Read 4:26 pm_

_Kageyama!: tell hinata ill be over at five_

_Read 4:27 pm_

_Kageyama!: and can he get me gummy bears_

_Read 4:27 pm_

_Yachi🍯: i’ll let him know! And I’ll make sure he gets them for you!_ _🌟🌟🌟_

_-_

In the living room, everyone was curled up on a large muted green couch, swaddled in soft blankets, leaning onto plush pillows. The lights were on and the movie that Hinata had slipped into the DVD player had faded into the background, no longer catching anyone’s interest. 

Yamaguchi was wrapped up in Tsukishima’s arms and Yachi sat in between him and Kageyama, grinning over at Yamaguchi as he talked animatedly about something that he had read online. Hinata was looking over at Yamaguchi, too, though he found it hard to keep track of his story due to the fact that his words kept looping around in circles and he’d often get side tracked. After a moment of sitting there on the couch, sinking into the cushions with his brow furrowed in confusion, he pushed himself up, announcing that he was going to root around in his closet for some more blankets. 

As the night had grown darker, he had found himself shivering more and more, and he had opted for not wearing Kageyama’s sweatshirt due to the embarrassment of it all. Generously, he had handed out a blanket to everyone, leaving himself empty handed except for the puppy stuffed animal that he had been clutching. 

He padded into his room, rubbing his hands over his arms which were bumpy with the constriction of his skin. He pulled the closet door open, swinging it out so that he could peer into the dark. Uncoordinatedly, he tried reaching out, grabbing whatever his hands came into contact with. After a moment, the lights in his room flipped on and his pupils dilated, his vision flooding with colour. 

“Idiot,” Kageyama mumbled from behind him, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the doorway of his room. His tone betrayed the usually biting word. It was soft and fond, and he seemed almost amused by the fact that Hinata had been searching in the dark for a blanket. 

“Whatever,” Hinata grumbled in response, grabbing the first blanket that he saw. It was a nice, deep red and it was soft to the touch, the gentle fibers feeling like a fluffy cloud against his skin. He threw it over himself, letting his fall over his head and back, clutching it in the front with tiny fists. 

As Hinata moved to leave the room, Kageyama’s arm shot out, blocking him from doing so. He glared up, ready to pull his lips back and quip at him sharply. As soon as he saw the look in Kageyama’s eyes, though, his composure drifted off, leaving him feeling small and naked. 

His heart squeezed in his chest. 

“What?” Hinata asked after a moment, and he recognized _that_ expression. It had flitted across Kageyama’s face every time he had gripped his hand or rebuked him for feeling unhappy with himself. It had soaked his features that night when he had rushed forward to hug him, uttering his given name under his breath coyly. And it was here now while Hinata was wrapped up in a blanket looking stupid and out of the loop. _Why_ was it here?

For a moment, Kageyama simply stood there, looking down on Hinata. Then, he reached out, pulling the blanket backwards, watching as Hinata’s hair popped up from under the fabric, eager that it was no longer being pressed down. Hinata pouted, and in response, Kageyama’s heart leaped in his chest. 

“Close your eyes,” Kageyama commanded. 

Hinata’s eyes burned defiantly and he put his hands on his hips, tilting his head. “ _Why_?” 

“Because I _told_ you to, dumbass.” Kageyama retorted, giving the smaller boy a hard look until he hesitantly complied. He studied Hinata, craning his neck so that he could see those freckles that he hadn’t managed to forget. His eyelashes dusted his cheeks and he was blushing, if only a little. 

Then, slowly, Kageyama leaned forward onto his toes, letting his breath evade him. Quickly, he squeezed his eyes shut and then pressed his lips to Hinata’s skin, right between his eyebrows. At the contact, Hinata jolted backwards, leaving Kageyama to wobble in an unstable manner on his feet. 

Hinata gawked up at Kageyama, his cheeks darkening substantially. For a moment, he looked as though he was trying to look indignant and angry, but the shock was too evident on his face for any of it to be effective. “What was that?”  
  


Kageyama glanced off to the side, and suddenly, the carpet of Hinata’s room was very interesting. “A kiss,” he said plainly. 

Hinata reached up, his fingers grazing the empty space between his eyebrows where Kageyama’s lips had been. The blanket slipped off of him completely, and he was too caught up in himself to remember that he was cold and had wrapped it around himself for a reason. _“Why?”_

“Um,” Kageyama’s brows pulled together. “Because I wanted to?” Really, he didn’t know what else to say. 

Hinata choked on a breath for a moment before he leaned over to pick up the blanket. He tossed it over his face, trying to shield himself from Kageyama’s too intense gaze. 

“What’re you doing?” 

“Nothing!” Hinata let the blanket droop down over him. He stared down at his feet, trying to steady his breathing. It wasn’t as though he had been kissed on the lips or anything, but the sensation was still intimate and he couldn’t help that he was flustered. 

“Did you not like it?” Kageyama asked after a beat of silence. 

“No!” Hinata pulled the blanket down abruptly, his face matching the shade of the fabric. “Er,” he stammered out. “I don’t know! It’s not like I didn’t, but…” he sighed, looking a little worn. 

“Can I do it again?” 

Hinata blinked, his eyes going wide. “Um,” he brought the blanket up so that only his eyes were peeking out from above it, his insides burning up with embarrassment. “O-okay,” he replied, his voice muffled. 

Kageyama stepped forward, tugging the blanket down so that it fell away. He swallowed, his eyes dropping down to Hinata’s lips, and then he was leaning forward, down, brushing Hinata’s lips with his own. As he pressed them together, Hinata let out a little squeak, but this time he didn’t move away. Instead, he stood there, letting Kageyama gently curl a hand around his jaw as something cold and icy inside of Hinata melted away and was replaced with blistering warmth. 

After Kageyama pulled away, Hinata could see that he was flushed, too, but he also looked pretty pleased with himself. He had been wanting to do that for a long time now; too long. 

Hinata placed a hand over his chest, and his heart was hammering within it, beating against his ribcage persistently. The ache was gone, he noticed. That terrible, dreadful loneliness that had been weighing down on him, well, it wasn’t there any longer. He felt a smile stretch across his face, and then he laughed, pushing forward so that he could engulf Kageyama in a hug. 

“I knew you had the answer!”

Kageyama blinked, his brain still processing what had just happened. “What?” 

“Nothing, Tobio,” Hinata murmured, squeezing Kageyama in his arms. “I knew you had the answer,” he repeated softly, feeling Kageyama wrap his arms around him and pull him closer, contentment swelling within him. 

No longer did he feel cold and dead on the inside. 


End file.
